ACADEMY ANNOUNCES RECIPIENTS OF 2026 GOLD FELLOWSHIP FOR WOMEN

2026 Fellowship Presented in Partnership with CHANEL
 

LOS ANGELES, CA – Tatti Ribeiro and Noora Niasari have been selected as the recipients of the 2026 Academy Gold Fellowship for Women. Part of the Academy’s global talent development and education work, the Gold Fellowship for Women is a one-year program that combines support, personalized mentorship and access to once-in-a-lifetime networking opportunities for emerging women filmmakers to further their pursuits in the field of cinema. As part of the Academy’s global focus and outreach, the Academy awards two fellowships annually, one to a U.S.-based filmmaker and one to a non-U.S.-based filmmaker. The fellowship is presented in partnership with CHANEL.

“Elevating the next generation of filmmakers worldwide is a priority for the Academy, and we are incredibly proud to advance that commitment through the Gold Fellowship for Women. We are deeply grateful to our partner, CHANEL, whose shared dedication to championing talented women filmmakers helps create meaningful industry opportunities and pathways for professional growth,” said Kim Taylor-Coleman, Academy governor and president of the Academy Foundation Board.

Fellows also receive ongoing career advancement support through the Academy Gold Alumni Network and Mentorship Program, which provides continued access, opportunity, professional development and education for alumni of the Academy’s global talent development programs. Applicants to the Gold Fellowship for Women must be alumnae of an Academy global talent development program or be nominated by an Academy talent development partner company to be eligible for the U.S. fellowship. Non-U.S. applicants must be recommended by a member of a key film organization, production company or international festival to be considered.

Ribeiro is a journalist and filmmaker raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and a graduate of the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Her first feature film “Valentina” earned her the Someone to Watch Award at the 2026 Independent Spirit Awards and won a 2025 Austin Film Festival Audience Award, the Mind the Gap Creation Prize at the 2025 Mill Valley Film Festival, a Special Jury Award at the 2026 Florida Film Festival and a Grand Jury Prize at the 2026 Dallas International Film Festival.

Niasari is a Tehran-born, Australia-raised writer and director. Her debut feature, “Shayda,” premiered in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, winning the Audience Award. It was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics and became Australia’s official International Feature Film submission for the 96th Academy Awards®. Niasari was awarded Best Direction in a Feature Film (Budget $1M or Over) at the 2023 Australian Directors’ Guild (ADG) Awards and received a nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a First-Time Theatrical Feature Film at the 76th Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards.

The world of film—from its boldest directors to its most compelling actors—has been deeply intertwined with the history of CHANEL since the House’s inception. Founder Gabrielle Chanel collaborated with leading filmmakers of her time, drawing inspiration from and supporting fellow creatives. Her legacy of championing women in the arts lives on through the brand’s ongoing commitment to uplifting their voices in film, exemplified by programs such as the Academy Gold Fellowship for Women and other longstanding industry partnerships.

The 2026 fellows were selected from a group of 10 finalists. The finalists are:

U.S.
Jalena Keane-Lee
Karina Lomelin Ripper
Oanh-Nhi Nguyen
Samantha Smart

Non-U.S.
Maura Delpero
Rena Effendi
Suzannah Mirghani
Zamo Mkhwanazi

For more information about the Academy Gold Fellowship for Women, visit https://www.oscars.org/academy-gold/fellowship-for-women.

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ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world's premier film organization and is home to a global membership of more than 11,000 of the most accomplished film industry artists and leaders. The Academy connects global audiences – its members, the film industry, and film fans – through their shared passion for making and watching films. The Academy does this by recognizing and celebrating the arts and sciences of moviemaking through renowned awards for cinematic achievement, including the Oscars®, the Governors Awards, and the Scientific and Technical Awards. The Academy’s affiliated charitable organization, the Academy Foundation, serves a public benefit through its robust educational, preservation and cultural activities. This includes the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the world's largest global film museum, the Academy Collection, the largest film-related collection in the world, and talent development programs for emerging artists. Year-round, the Academy creates opportunities for all communities to engage with the film world. Across all initiatives, the Academy connects global audiences – its members, the film industry, and film fans – through their shared passion for making and watching films.

ABOUT CHANEL
Chanel Limited is a private company and parent of the Chanel group, a world leader in creating, developing, manufacturing and distributing luxury products. Founded by Gabrielle Chanel at the beginning of the last century, Chanel offers a broad range of high-end creations, including Ready-to-Wear, Leather Goods, Fashion Accessories, Eyewear, Fragrances, Makeup, Skincare, Jewellery and Watches. Chanel is also renowned for its Haute Couture collections, presented twice yearly in Paris, and for having acquired a large number of specialised suppliers, collectively known as the Métiers d’art. Chanel is dedicated to ultimate luxury and to the highest level of craftsmanship. It is a brand whose core values remain historically grounded on exceptional creation. As such, Chanel promotes culture, art, creativity and “savoir-faire” throughout the world, and invests significantly in people, R&D, sustainable development and innovation. At the end of 2025, Chanel employed 38,000 people worldwide.

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